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Domestic violence support service gets a new home

September 23, 2015

Redland City’s domestic violence support service has a new home in Cleveland after Council today approved their application to set up in Bloomfield Street.

Council’s City Planning and Assessment spokesperson Cr Julie Talty said Council had approved the application from the Working Against Violence Support Service (WAVSS) after considering community feedback and relevant planning legislation.

“It needs to be clear that this is a counselling and advice service, not a women’s shelter and Council has approved the application as a community facility on this basis,” she said.

“There will be nobody staying at the facility overnight; it is not a halfway house.

“The application process included a public notification period, which resulted in two submissions and Council has taken the issues raised in those submissions on board and conditioned the approval in response.

“The location is also appropriate in that it is not in a central business area, providing clients with privacy and a safe place to seek help.”

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said domestic violence services were needed across the city to deal with the social issue.

“Unfortunately domestic violence has been central in the media recently and is an issue that affects the whole of the country with more than 100 women, children and men dying each year in Australia because of domestic and family violence,” she said

“No city is immune, including the Redlands. In 2013-14 the Cleveland and Wynnum Magistrates courts together issued almost 4 per cent of Queensland’s domestic violence orders – more than other areas of comparable size such as Caboolture and Toowoomba.

“This facility will give domestic violence victims a place to get advice and counselling, including group sessions with other victims.

“The WAVSS Across the Redlands service has been operating out of the Cleveland Court since May while they looked for a permanent home and today’s decision provides that home so they can get on with providing a valuable service to the community.”

The Redlands based Working Against Violence Support Service (WAVSS) is a State Government-funded service.